1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer for printing information on a paper sheet passing between a stationary print head and a platen, by means of the print head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there have been developed a printer such as a label printer, which includes a printing section having a stationary print head and a platen movable in directions to touch and leave the print head and a paper feed mechanism for feeding a paper sheet to the printing section. The platen is pressed against the print head by means of an urging force of a spring. The feed mechanism has a feed roller and a paper holder, e.g. an idler roll, pressed against the feed roller by a spring. The paper holder is arranged for engagement with and disengagement from the feed roller.
The printer is provided with a mechanism for releasing the platen from the print head against the urging force of the spring in order to set a paper sheet on the printer. The printer is further provided with another mechanism for leaving the paper holder from the feed roller. Both mechanisms are separately operated by hand.
Prior to setting a paper sheet, the two mechanisms are independently operated so as to define spaces between the print head and the platen and between the holder and the feed roller, respectively. The paper sheet is then introduced into the space between the holder and the feed roller, and fed into the space between the print head and the platen.
However, in the foregoing arrangement of the printer, the releasing of the platen from the print head and the spacing of the paper holder from the feed roller should be executed independently. Accordingly, the setting of a paper sheet will be troublesome and the mechanical arrangement itself may hardly become simple.